Gun-sling



Aug. 3, 1948. F. P. SLOAN GUN-SLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1944 INVENTOR:

Aug. 3, 1948. R SLOAN 2,446,197

GUN-SLING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1 944 INVENTOR.

AMc/Q 1 320W Patented Aug. 3, 1948 UNITED STATESPATENTOFFICE:

GUN-SLING Francis P.Sloan,Wilton, Conn. Application February 12, 1944, ,Serial No. 522,0 7

This invention is a novel gun-sling, involving improvements in the known kinds of slings used for carrying, aiming and shooting shoulder firearms, rifles or shotguns. The principal object of the, invention is to provide a gun-sling that can be more easily, quickly and securely engaged with and fastened to the shooters arm and more easily and quickly released and detached therefrom. Another object is to provide a gun sling that can be easily and quickly readjusted and changed in length as may be necessitated when the shooter changes from one shooting posture to another. Another object is to provide such an improved gun-sling which may be economically manufactured, or can be produced by simple and inexpensive alterations of the standard U. S. Army gun-sling. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be explained during the hereinafter following description of an illustrative example, or will be apparent to those conversant withthe subject.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a left side view of the improved sling applied to the gun in its disposition or adjustment of non-use, that is, as positioned on the gun for all purposes except for aiming and shooting or for carrying the gun by the sling over the shoulder; which may conveniently be designated its inactive position or adjustment.

Fig. 2 is a similar side view including a perspective view of the improved sling differently disposed, showing what will be termed the lower strap loop of the sling detached from the lower or gun-butt swivel or eye and rearranged or twisted into a position suitable to receive the left arm of the shooter, and to encircle the upper part of the arm. I

Fig. 3 is a similar left view of part of the sling,

in a modified form, illustrating an alternatej method of linking or attaching the lower to the upper strap loop of the sling.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view partly in section of a preferred form of butt eye or swivel adapted to beopened for quick disengagement and release of the lower loop from the gun butt and swivel. Fig. 5 is an elevational View of a shooter in the standing position aiming the gun and using. the improved sling in what is known as the hasty manner.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a shooter in the standing position aiming the gun and using the improved sling in the regular manner with its lower loop encircling his upper left arm.

It is to be understood that the invention is of advantage in other postures of the shooter, as

12 Claims. (01. 224-4) kneeling, squatting, sitting or with the so-called regular way of use may be.

els, this use being, illustrated in Fig. 5; andfor regular aiming and shooting the lower loop may be disengaged from the gun butt, preferably byunc oupling it from aspecially constructed lower swivelfor eye B, and the loop then turned ortwisted about, asseen in Fig. 2, and placed t0. encircle the shooters upper arm, where itycone stitutes an arm-band that isreadily shortened through its buckle F into a snug fit upon the arm, and the upperorfore, loop then adjustably, shortened through its buckle to provide a steady,- 7 ing tie or stayunder tension between the arm,

and fore-stock,as seen in Fig. 6.

followed.

The invention may as follows. The gun is provided with an upper strap engaging swivel ,or pivoted eye A on the, upper part of the fore-stock A and a lowerswivel or eye B onthe lower part of. the butt-stock B; the butt eye being preferably openablefor quick release of strap therefrom. The. sling comprises in sequence an upper looped strap C and a separatelower looped strap E of flexible material engag eable respectively inthe upper and;

lower eyes or swivels. The upper strap has a take-up buckle D which makes of. the strap a closed up er loop .or fore loop whichtraverses; and depends from the upper swivel andis ad justable in its 1 effective length by means of the buckle and independently of the lower strap.

The lower strap similarly has a buckle, devicex F making of the strap aclosed lower loop or butt loopadapted to traverse the lower swivel and adjustable in its effective length and tightness.

around the arm by means of the buckle and independently of the upper strap. These elements are combined into a unitary whole by means. of; an interconnecting member, such as a balllF or.

agring G, constituting a link engaging between the upper and lower loops.

be placed in its inactive setting as seen in Fig.

1 by shortening the sequence of link-connected loops so as to tauten the sling between the two swivels; while for the hasty manner of use the vlding a suitably slack adjustmentbetween swiv- As illustrated, the gun-sling sists of the two lengths or loops C and E of flexible strap material'such as leather or fabric, the two buckles or equivalent strap gripping devices,

prone, wherefirst be generally outlined By this simple ar- L rangement the sling, mounted on the gun,,.mayw

specifically con-v from the left arm. (e) It is necessary to use only one hand tochange the-adjustment. of either loop in any shooting position. (I) .It is easy toloosen or tighten either loop without disturbing the adjustment 0f the. other loop, because they are wholly separate and independent, and merely interconnected by a link, contrary to. the prevailing' slings wherein the strap loops are interdependent, and overlap in operation.

The advantages will be revealed by a comparison of the military manuals explaining the initial application and later adjustment of the standard sling with the following description: of the steps for the application and, adjustment of theimproved sling of this invention.

(1) Rest rifle butt on rightthigh with forestock against inside of right forearm. i Q

(2) With left hand pull free end E of the lower loop E nearly all the way back through jaws F -of buckle F, and detach lower loop E from the butt-stock or from butt-swivel B.

(3) With right hand turn lower loop E be tween one quarter. and one half turn and insert left arm, the right hand cooperating to move the loop high on left arm.

e (3) With fingers and thumb of right hand pull the free end E of lower 100p E upwardly through the jaws F of. buckle F until the desired tightness is obtained; thus determining and holding the optimum construction of the arm.

('5) .With the same fingers and thumb pull the buckle D down near buckle F and pull the free end C of upper loop through jaws D of buckle D until approximately the correct length of upper loop is obtained; thus afiordingxthe optimum tensionfor shooting purposes. a

(6) Grasp forestock A of rifle close below the foreswivel A with the left hand. so that the upper 100p C lies flat against the back of the left hand and wrist, and graspthe butt of the rifle with the right hand. 1 i

('7) Place the butt of rifle against right shoulder. If length of upper loop C is not correct alter it by moving the free end C either way through the jaws of its buckle D. It will be unnecessary to ,shift the left hand from the forestock or to touch the lower loop adjustment. 1

Additional advantages are found in the im-. proved Sling over the standard when the shooter changes from one shooting position to another. A shift from the prone to the sitting position requires a shortening by several inches of the length of that part of the sling that connects the arm loop with the fore-stock swivel. In the Army type sling this requires'two hands and necessarily upsets the adjustment of the part that encircles the arm. In the present sling, the right hand can readily make the adjustment alone and moreover'can do this without disturbing the arm band because the arm band is a separate loop controlledby a separate buckle.

. Manufactureof the sling of this invention is manifestly simple by conventional methods and, it may be of conventional materials, except that the preferred butt swivel or pivoted eye B is of a, special openable structure, e. g. as shown in Fi 4. v

Conversion of the present Army sling to the improved sling hereof is simply and economically accomplished. No change is necessary except to provide suitablebuckles for the loop straps of the improved sling inplaoe of the claws of the Army type, and to substitute the preferred slingreleasing eye or swivel at the rifle butt in place ofthe standard non-releasing swivel, and to. re-

assemble and combine the two straps and keepers in the manner as shown in Fig. 1, with the linking members F or Gas interconnection between the strap: loops. l 1 r The advantages of speed-andneaseof adjustment are obtained at no sacrifice of other. de.- sirab-le features; the weight is-practically unchanged; the buckles are. clear of the erson of the shooter in thecarrying'and shooting posi tions, and moreover no metal parts can touchthe gun. i i i .Referring further tothe special butt-swivel B, shown in perspective view in Fig. 4, thisis constructed to present an eye for disengageable en:- gagement by the lower loop E. One end of this eye is openable by reason of a movable end-piece or guard B the freeend of which is recessed to engage the outer bar of the eye, while the other end is pressed into closed position by a spring B3. For this purpose the end-piece B is attached to a plunger or pin 3%, which is surrounded by the spring B and which protrudes at its. far end, presenting a buttonwhich can be pressed-to shift the plunger and end-piece, thus to open the swivel; and preferably themounting is such that the end-piece when thus displaced can be swung around, as shown in Fig. .4, to facilitate the inserting or removing of the strap loop. 1 In the drawings the buckles are shown to be c the sliding-friction type which have no tongue and require no. holes in: the flexible strap imaterial of the sling. The invention is not. to-be limitedhowever to this preferred type of buckle because other buckles maybe used operatively but without the full advantages. Similarly, the drawings show apreferred butt-swivel or eye that remains on the butt when releasing the sling. The improved sling will operate however with a'buttswivel that will release itself from the butt and follow the sling. It is even possible to disconnect the lower loop E from a non-releasing type of swivel by opening the buckle and pulling the free end of theloop through the swivel and then passing it back through the jaws of its buckle, causing delay. Similarly, the connectionbetween or means linking together the upper loop and the lower loop may be made by different forms of link, such as the flat ring shown in Fig. 3. This aigun-sling comprising, in tandem. sequence' be tween said upper and'lower eyes, three separate and distinct members consisting of, first, an upper closed-loop strap engaged with the upper eye and constituting a tension stay loop member,

between forestock and arm when set for regular,

shooting, second, an intermediate link member, and third, a lower closed-loop strap engaged with:

the lower eye when in inactive setting and constituting an arm-band loopunember when .dis.-. engaged from the lower endand set to encircle the arm for regular shooting; said upper or tension stay loopbeing engaged with bothsaid upper eye and said link and slidable freely through one:

of them and having a take-up buckle device which.

closes the loop and provides for ready. adjusting of the effective length and tautness of the tension stay, when set for shooting, by one-hand manipulation of the buckle and free strap tail therebeyond and independently of the adjusting of the lower or armband loop; and said lower or armband-loop being engaged with said link and having a take-up buckle device which closes the loop and provides for ready adjusting of the degree of circumferential constriction thereof around the arm, when set for shooting, namely, by one-hand manipulation of the buckle and free strap tail therebeyond and independently of the adjusting of theupper or tension stay loop; whereby for inactive setting the sequence of loops and link may be shortened between the gun stock eyes, while for regular shooting the arm band loop may be disengaged from the lower eye and placed to encircle the upper arm and there shortened into snug fit, and the tension stay loop independently adjusted as to its tautness to constitute a steadying tie between arm and forestook, and for hasty shooting the sequence of loops may be lengthened to a suitably slack adjustment.

.2; For a shoulder gun having an upper eye at the forestock and a lower eye at the buttstock, a gun-sling comprising, in tandem sequence and as separate and distinct members, an upper closedloop strap constituting a tension stap loop when set for shooting, an apertured intermediate link member, and a lower closed-loop stra constituting an arm-band loop when disengaged from the lower eye and set to encircle the arm for shooting; said upper or tension stay loop being engaged in the upper eye and slidable freely through said link aperture and having a take-up buckle device which closes the loop and provides for ready adjusting of the tautness of the tension stayby one-hand manipulation of the buckle and free strap length therebeyond and independently of the adjusting of the arm-band loop; and said lower or arm-band loop being engaged with the lower eye and said link, and having a takeeup buckle device which closes the loop and prov-idesv for ready adjusting of the tightness thereof around the arm, namely, by one-hand manipulation of the buckle and free strap length therebeyond and independently of the adjusting of the tension stay loop.

For a shoulder gun a gun-sling comprising a fore loop and a separate butt loop, with an aperturedlink interconnecting the two loops in tandem, the fore, loopbeing adapted to traverse a tore swivel on the gun and: to. slide freely through the link aperture and to act as. a, stay tensioned between the fore swivel and the shooters upper arm, and the butt loop being adapted to traverse a butt swivel on the gun and. to be disengaged therefrom and spread into an arm-encircling loop, and each loop having a take-up means or buckle for adjusting its effective length independently of the adjusting of the other loop.

4. A gun-slin for a shoulder firearm having a f'orestock and a buttstock, and comprising twoindependently enlargeable and contractable loops of strap material, with a slidable link member wholly separate from but interconnecting the two loops, said link having an aperture through which at least one of said loops freely slides, a fore-eye connecting the fore-loop to the forestock and a butt-eye connecting the butt-loop detachably' to the buttstock; each loop having its own take-up device or buckle for adjusting its length; the butt-loop being adapted to encircle completely the shooters arm with a degree of tightness determined by its adjustment, and the fore-- loop being adapted to act as a tension tie betweenthe fore-eye and the link member on the butt loop with a' degree of tension determined by its adjustment. l i

5. For a shoulder gun the combination of the five following elements in interconnected sequence (1) an upper eye at the gun forestock, (2) anupper closed-loop strap constituting a tension stay loop, (3) an apertured intermediate link member, (4) a lower closed-loop strap constituting an arm-band loop to encircle the arm for shooting, and (5) a lower eye at the gun buttstock; said upper loop being engaged in the upper eye and in the link aperture and slidable freely through at least one thereof and having a buckle which closes the loop and provides for ready adjusting of the tautness of the upper loop independently of the adjusting of the arm-band loop; and said lower loop being engaged withthe lower eye and said link, and having a buckle which closes the loop and provides for ready adjusting of the tightness thereof around the arm independently of the adjusting of the tension stay loop.

6. A gun-sling as in claim 1 and wherein the intermedate link member comprises a rigid apertured extension or bail extending from the buckle device of the lower arm-band loop and through which the upper tension stay loop is freely slidable. 7. A gun-sling as in claim 1 and wherein the intermediate link member comprises a rigid separate ring piece through which both the upper and lower loops are slidable.

8. A- gun-sling as in claim 1 and wherein the lower or buttstock eye is openable Without detachment from the gun to permit. ready disenagement ofthe arm-band loop from the gun butt stock and eye without opening said'loop.

9. A gun-sling as in claim 5 and wherein the lower or buttstock eye or swivel is permanently attached to the butt and constructed with means permitting it to be readily opened .by hand for the detachment therefrom of the arm-band loop.

10. A gun-sling consisting of a chain .of five loops in tandem, loops numbers one, three and. five being of rigid material, loops numbers two and four of flexible strap material; loop number one being a swivel attached to the gun butt, loop number five a swivel attached at the. forestock of the gun; loop number two being an arm band, adapted to encircle the shooters. arm, and to pass through loop number one; loop number four being adapted to serve as. a tension member or stay and to pass through loop five; loop number three being arranged to link closely to one thickness of loop number two and one thickness of loop numher four; loops numbers two and four each being a closed loop having a buckle and a free end beyond the buckle for one-hand adjustment of loop size and tautness or tension; the adjustment of loop number two being independent of change of size or tension of loop number four, and the adjustment of loopnumber four beng independent of change of size or tension of loop number two; loop number one being openable. for engagement and disengagement of loop number two; whereby!v when the, loop chain is setw-ith loops numbers one and two engaged the gun-sling may be tautened into parade sling and when the chain. consists of, loops numbers two, three, four and five only it, may be used to. associate the gun with the; shooter's; arm in shooting positions l 11., A gun-sling consistingof a chain or three separate closed loops, a lower andan upper loop of strap material; and a middle loop of rigid material, all attachable between the swivels of the gun; the lower loop being adapted to be tightened constrictingly around the shooter's arm, the separate upper loop being adapted to function as a tension member slidably attached to the upper part of the gun, and the middle loop adapted to link closely and slidably to one thickness of the lower loop and one thickness of the upper loop; the lower 100p having a buckle and a free strap end for one hand adjustment of size and tightness oi the loop around the arm without change of the other loops, the upper loop having a buckle and a free strap end for one hand adjustment of size and tension oi the loop between the gun and the middle loop, without change of the other loops, and the two independent adjustments being readily made while the gun is being aimed or otherwise handled.

12. A gun-sling adapted to extend between the upper and lower swivels of a gun and consisting of two separate loops of strap material linked together only by a sliding connector; the lower loop being adapted to encircle the arm of the shooter, and the upper loop being adapted to extend between the lower loop and the upper swivel of the gun, with the connector between them; each loop having a buckle and a free strap end for independ- 10 out single-handed adjustment of loop size or ten sion; the arm-encircling lower loop being adjustable in size and tightness without change of size or tension 01 the upper loop, and the upper loop being adjustable in size and tension independently of and without change of size or tightness of t the lower loop; whereby any one or more of such adjustments are readily made in any sequence by the trigger hand alone when the gun is in the shooting position or otherwise handled.

FRANCIS P. SLOAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,088,314 Wilcke Feb. 24, 1914 1,332,088 Wagner Feb. 24, 1920 1,383,125 Kennedy June 28, 1921 1,396,270 Gierson Nov, 8, 1921 2,357,363 Smith et al. 'Sept. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 90,695 Sweden Nov. 2, 1937 

